Corner locking device for containers



Dec. 22, 1953 c. F. GIBBONS CORNER LOCKING DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 30, 1950 R O T N E V N I CLYDE E GIBBONS ATTORNE S.

Patented Dec. 22, 1953 CORNER. LOCKING DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS Clyde F. Gibbons, Atlanta, Ga, assignor to Gaylord Container Corporation, St. Louis, M0,, a i ccrporationof Maryland' Application Novenfber 30, SerialNo. 138,269

1 3-Glaims.

This invention relates to collapsible receptacles and more particularly to a corner lock for collapsi-ble container.

The container and the corner locking device hereinafter described may be constructed or solid fibreboard, corrugated fibreboar-d or any other suitable material.

Numerous and varied attempts have been mad to perfect a satisfactory corner lock for a collapsible container. In general, these efforts have r aeen di-rected to the problem of providing a corner lock neat in appearance which would not accidentally unlock. The unlocking problem been of the greatest concern because the shifting of the inside load coupled with external rough handling has often caused the ordinary corner lock to become unsec-ured.- Hence the problem became that of providing a collapsible container corner lock which was neat in appearance but which would not become accidentally unsecured.

This invention is embodied in a container having a corner lock entirely within the container so that no normal external forces will tend to unlock the corner. Furthermore, the load inside the box, by pressing against the corner locking flap, actually tends to make the corner look more secure.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide a corner lock for a collapsible container which will remain in a securely locked position when the receptacle is fully load- I down condition.

A further object is to provide a corner lock for a reusable container.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full and complete understanding of the construction and operation of this device.

This invention provides a receptacle corner locking device comprising a wall locking flap extending through an adjacent wall slot and terminating within a slot in an anchoring tab connected to the end of said adjacent wall.

.2 and side scores 3.

The "invention also consists in the parts and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed. In the accompanying drawings which form of this specificationand wherein like numerals and symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a blank from which a container embodying this invention is folded,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating the corner assembly with the rear wall erected, and the end wall and locking flap partially erected,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the interior of the corner assembly with the rear and end walls erect-ed the locking flap extending around outside of the corner and the locking t'a-b extending through the slot in the rear wall of the container,

4. is a fragmentary perspective view i1lustrating the interior of the corner lock completely assembled, with the locking tab secured in abutting relation to the end wall by the slot in the anchoring tab,

Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing the rear of the container with the cover member in partially closed position, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical crosseectional view of the corner construction taken along the line 5-45 of Fig. when the cover is closed.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of invention which has been illustrated for-med a single blank having a bottom I defined by end scores End walls 3 are adapted to be folded upwardly from the bottom i along the scores 2.. side or front wall 5 and side or rear wall't are adapted 'to be folded upwardly from the bottom 4 along the scores 3.

The front wall 5 is provided with a front wall flap l depending therefrom and defined by a doublescore 3. The end walls are provided at their front ends with end flaps 9 defined "by scores ill. The rear wall 5 is provided with slots H and anchoring tabs 52 defined by scores '13. Anchoring slots M are provided in the' anchoring tabs 12. The end walls 3 are provided with wall locking flaps which narrow portions or wall locking tabs lEa thereon are defined by double scores Hi. The back wall t is provided with a hinged top panel or cover member I! defined by a, score it. The top panel H is provided with end cover flaps I9 defined by scores 29 and a front cover flap}! defined by a score 22. The locking flaps 15 at the rear of the end Walls are defined by scores 23. The wall locking tabs l5 extend into the end edge of the de- 3 pending cover flaps l9 forming notches 24 therein.

This embodiment of the invention may be assembled by folding the end walls t upwardly along the bottom end scores 2 at right angles to the bottom panel l. The end flaps 9 are folded inwardly along the scores is at right angles to the end walls 3. The front wall is folded upwardly along the score 3 to a position flatwise against the outer faces of the end flaps 9. The front wall flap '5 is bent upwardly along the score 8 and then downwardly over the upstanding front wall 5 and end fiaps 9 in flatwise relation to the inner face of the end flaps 9. The anchoring tabs l2 are bent upwardly along the score H5 at right angles to the rear wall 6. The rear wall 6 is bent upwardly along the score 3 at a right angle to the bottom 1. The wall locking flaps iii are folded along the score 23 to a position flatwise against the outer surface of the rear wall E, and the wall locking tabs its are bent along the double scores is and then inserted in the vertical slots ii. The wall locking tabs Eda are then folded along the double scores id to a flatwise position against the inner surface of the rear wall 6, the end of the locking tabs 55a being inserted in and secured by the anchoring slots i l, thereby placing the edges of the locking tabs in abutting relation at right angles to the inner surface of the end wall i.

To complete the erection of the container, the end cover flaps 19 are folded along the scores 29 to form a right angle with the inner face of the top panel ll. Similarly, the front cover flap 2% is folded along the score 22 to form a right angle with the inner surface of the top panel 7. The top panel is bent along the score 58 to close the container, care being taken to have the end cover fiaps i9 rest in flatwise relation against the exposed inner faces of the end walls and the anchoring tabs l2. When the cover member i7 is completely closed, the notches 2 3 will abut against and grip the outer surfaces and the side edges of the wall locking tabs 55a, adjacent said anchoring slots i l. The front cover flap 2! rests flatwise against the exposed face of the front wall fiap i when the cover member I1 is closed.

It is to be understood that the embodiment herein described is illustrative and not restrictive, and it is also to be understood that the invention may be susceptible of embodiment in other modified forms, and that all such modifications which are similar or equivalent hereto come equally within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Ina container having adjacent walls, an interlocked corner comprising a wall having a wall locking flap thereon, and an adjacent wall having a slot therein in spaced parallel relation to said corner and provided with a slotted anchoring tab foldably connected to the end thereof, said anchoring tab being provided with an anchoring slot adjacent said foldable connection, said anchoring tab being disposed inwardly and positioned fiatwise against the inner face of said first wall, said wall locking flap extending around the outside of said corner and through said slot in said adjacent wall and being positioned fiatwise against the inner surface of said adjacent wall, the edges of said adjacent wall forming said slot firmly engaging the wall looking fiap positioned therethrough, said wall locking flap terminating within the slot of the said anchoring tab, and a cover member having a depending marginal flange thereon with a notch on the end edge thereof adjacent said wall locking flap, the edges of said depending marginal flange defining said notch being adapted to grip said wall locking flap when said cover is in the closed position.

2. A blank for a container scored to define a bottom panel and opposing pairs of side and end walls, each of said end walls having a foldably connected wall locking flap at one end thereof, one of said side Walls having spaced slots therein and foldably connected slotted anchoring tabs adjacent the ends of the end walls having said wall locking flaps thereon, each of the slots in said anchoring tab being positioned adjacent said foldable connection with said side wall, said slotted side wall being provided with a hinged cover having side marginal flaps on the end edges thereof, the end edge of each said side marginal flap being cut to provide an extension for the free end margin for the adjacent said Wall locking flap, the width of said out in said side marginal flap being substantially equal to the thickness of said free end margin of said wall locking flap.

3. A container comprising a bottom with side and end walls extending upwardly therefrom, each of said end walls having a wall locking flap at one end thereof, one of said side walls having vertical slots therein and slotted anchoring tabs adjacent the ends of the end walls having said wall locking fiaps thereon, said anchoring tabs being positioned flatwise against the inner faces of said end walls, each of said wall locking flaps extending around the outside of a corner and through the vertical slot in one of said side walls and being positioned flatwise against the inner surface of said side wall, said wall locking flaps terminating within the slot of said anchoring tabs, said slotted side wall being provided with a hinged cover having marginal flaps on the end edges thereof, said marginal flaps each having a notch therein in the end margin adjacent the said wall locking flaps being adapted to grip said wall locking flaps when said cover is in closed position.

CLYDE F. GIBBONS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number N arne Date 266,445 Duck Oct. 24, 1882 2,155,450 Shoemaker Apr. 25, 1939 2,220,076 Carruth Nov. 5, 1940 2,277,717 Sackett Mar. 31, 1942 2,370,927 Anderson Mar. 6, 1945 2,522,049 Lang Sept, 12, 1959 

